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What to Eat After Jaw Surgery

After jaw surgery, you need to be careful about what you eat. Hard, crunchy and chewy foods are off the menu, and eating anything spicy isn’t a good idea either.

So what can you eat after jaw surgery? Your oral surgeon will tell you to stick with liquids and soft foods, but how will you keep from going hungry on that diet? The professionals at Northeast Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery have some suggestions to share.

Beverages to Keep You Full

After jaw surgery, you may need to be on a no-chew diet for a few days. Everything you consume must be liquid — just don’t drink your beverages through a straw, as that can lead to complications as well.

Getting full and feeling satisfied can be difficult when you can only consume beverages. To keep hunger at bay, consider the following options:

Protein-packed cow’s milk or soy milk

Fruit smoothies with protein powder or Greek yogurt

Low-sodium chicken, beef or vegetable broth

Nutritional supplement drinks, such as Boost or Ensure

Soft Foods to Enjoy in the Early Days

When your oral surgeon gives you the go-ahead to start adding soft foods to your diet, take it slow. Too much chewing when you’re just beginning to recover from surgery is likely to aggravate the surgical site.

Some healthy soft food choices — such as yogurt, applesauce and cottage cheese — may immediately spring to mind. For more variety in your diet, try snacking on:

Mashed bananas with peanut butter

Flavored gelatin with a dollop of whipped cream

Chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch pudding

Tender, moist muffins or soft breads

Meal Options When You’re Healing from Jaw Surgery

Soon, you’ll want more substantial meals — beverages and healthy snacks won’t cut it for too long. But you still need to go easy on the chewing until you’re healed.